Loose ski arresting device



July 20, 1965 M. H. CUBBERLEY 3,195,911

LOOSE SKI ARRESTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 10, 1963 ENTOR. .ZSZZLZ'fIZZIUZ/Zierk a United States Patent 3,195,911 LODSE SKI ARRESTING DEVICE Mitchell H. Cubherley, 121 Bell St, Belleville, NJ. Filed Jan. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 250,528 Claims. (Cl. 280-1113) This invention relates to skis, and, more particularly, to an automatic braking or halting device adapted to arrest escape movement of a ski should the latter be accidentally detached from the user's boot.

The sport of skiing has greatly increased in recent years. Due to this, various kinds of means for attaching skis to the boots of the user have been developed. To

reduce the hazards of the sport, many of such attachment devices are of the type which, under abnormal stresses and strains, will detach a skiers boot from normal coupled relation to the ski. When this occurs, the detached ski is free to slide away, especially when released on ski slopes. Such escaping loose ski is not only a hazard to other skiers on the slope, and thus a cause of possible accident to other skiers, but also puts the user of the loose escaped ski to considerable trouble and loss of time when striving to retrieve such loose ski, which has slid more or less far away from the place where it ent invention to provide a device adapted to be mounted on a ski so as to be held in an initial out-ofservice position by the skiersboot, when the ski is normally at tached to the latter for use, but which is automatically released for movement to a service position should the ski, in use, become accident-ally detached from the boot, and thereby freed to slide away; in which service position it will, by digging into the snow, arrest and halt escape movement of the loose ski, and thus reduce hazard of injury to other skiers and allow the ski to be quickly retrieved by the user.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ski with a novel automatic braking or halting device, operative when the ski is detached from the skiers boot and thus becomes loose, which device is of very simple construction, involving a minimum number of parts, and one that can be easily applied to a ski, and easily manipulated so as to be normally held in out-of-service position by the skiers boot, when the latter is in normal attached relation to the ski, and in a position that offers no impediment to the ski in use, but is freed to move to operative service position should the skiers boot be accidentally detached from the ski.

The above and other objects will be understood from a reading of the following description of an illustrative embodiment of a loose ski arresting device according to this invention in connection with the accompanying drawings thereof, in which drawings:

FIG. 1' is a fragmentary plan view of a ski equipped with the arresting device of this invention, the latter being shown in out-of-service position as held therein by the.

skiers boot, when the latter is coupled to the ski by attaching means; and FIG. 2 is aside elevational view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, similar to that of FIG. 2,-- but after the skiers boot has become detached from a ski in use, and the arresting device has moved to its in-service loose ski braking or halting position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, showing means' for holding the arresting device in out-of-service position by applicable tie-down means, when the ski are not in use, whereby to facilitate storing, stacking and transportation of the skis; and FIG. 5 is .a plan view of the tie-down means.

3 ,1 95,9 1 i Patented July 20, 1965 The braking or halting devices according to this invention are furnished in pairs comprising one for use on the right foot ski and the other for use on the left foot ski; the one for use on the right foot ski being shown in the drawings by way of illustration.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, the reference character 11) indicates a fragmentary portion of the body of a right foot ski, which is equipped with a skiers boot toe attachment device A and a boot heel attachment device (not shown) operative to couple the ski to a skiers boot for use.

The loose ski braking or halting device according to thi invention is mounted on the top surface of the ski body 10 forwardly of the boot toe attachment device A, and so as to operate at the right hand or outer margin of said ski body, and comprises a base plate 11, adapted to be aflixe-d to the ski body by fastening screws 12. Said base plate 11 is provided with longitudinally aligned and spaced apart, upstanding perforate bearing plates unitary therewith and comprising an outer hearing plate 13 and an inner bearing plate 14. Preferably these bearing plates upstand from the ends of a bridge plate 15 which is superposed upon the base Plate 11, and is affixed thereto. The base plate 11 is mounted on the ski body in an oblique position relative to the outer longitudinal edge of the latter, at an internal or rearward angle thereto approximating The outer end of said base plate 11 is formed in like angular relation to its longitudinal axis, so as to be aligned in register with said outer edge of the ski body 11 when mounted thereon. Said outer end of the base plate 11 is provided with a stop lug projection 16, which exteriorly overhangs the outer edge of the ski body 10.

Swingably supported in connection with the base plate 11 is a loose ski arrester or halting means comprising a brake arm 17 having a journal stem 18 extruding angularly therefrom at an internal angle of approximately 125, and connected thereto by an ofisetting elbow 19. The journal stem 18 is journaled in and through the perforate bearing plates 13 and 14, so that the brake arm 17 i pivotally supported in connection with the base plate 11. Formed in connection with the free end of the brake arm 17 is a suitably shaped flattened brake blade 20. Mounted around the journal stem 18, between the bearing plates 13 and 14 of the base plate 11, is a heli ca-l torsion spring 21. One end 22 of this spring 21 is anchored by impingement against the base plate structure, while its other end 23 is thrustingly engaged into the journal stem 13, as by insertion through a slot 24 with which the rear end of said journal stem is provided. The torsion spring 21 is such that, under tension, the same exercises rotative thrust upon said journal stem which is operative to swing the brake arm 17 in clockwise direction as shown in the drawing from an out-ofservice position to an in-service position, as will be presently further described.

Due to the angular relation of the brake arm 17 to its pivoting journal stem 18, when said brake arm is swung upwardly and rearwardly, in counter-clockwise di rection as shown in the drawing, the same can be disposed in overlying relation to the top surface of the ski body 10, so as to lie flatly thereon, with its brake blade 20 extending adjacent to the boot toe attachment device A (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Such movement of the brake arm 17 rotates the journal stem 18 so as to exert twisting force upon the torsion spring 21, to thereby bring the latter into a condition of maximum tension. The brake arm 17 is thus disposed in an out-'of-service position. When held in such out-of-service position, the ski arrester or halting means will not interfere with normal sking use.

if V 7 when the loose ski arresteror halting means is disposed in the described out-or-service .position,,1t will-be held therein by the skiers attached boot toe T, when the boot is applied and fastened to the ski body 10 a- Under such safety skibinding or attachment harness 7 conditions, the free end portion of the brake blade zti of brake arm 17- will underlie the boot t-oe T, whereby to prevent out-swinging movementvof the brake arm, under thrust of spring 2-1, to in-service position, unless the .boot

becomes detached from the ski body 10, 'In this'conneetion it will be understood that thefski arrester or halting means of this invention can be used in cooperation with any type of safety ski binding or harness whichwill permit release and detachment of thexskiers boot from the ski under accidental application of abnormal stresses or strains to the binding or'atta'chment harness.

blade 20, whereupon the body or the'tie loop is passed across the bottom of and around the ski body 10, with its opposite loop end engaged around a projecting portion of the toe attachment device A (see FIG. 4), thus tying down the brake arm 17 in desired out-of-service'position 7 against the tension of its, torsion spring z'l.

Having now described my invention, 1 claim:

'1. In combination, with a ski equipped with a safety boot'attachment binding adapted to release the boot from the ski under abnormal stresses, and strains, means to stop a ski detached afrorn the boot from sliding away movement, said means co-rnprisingla base plate aflixed'to the ski in spaced" away relation to apportion of said bind- ,ing and in obliqueangular relation to a longitudinal edge Illustrative of one such type of safety skibinding or attachrnent harness, the accompanying drawings show one wherein the bootrtoe attachment device A is or the kind. which yields to abnormal stresses or strains, to thereby of the ski'and divergent to the axis of the binding, a brake arm having a journalstem at one end angularthereto, said base plate having longitudinally spaced apart upstanding'perforate bearing membersto receive the joureffect release of the .boot toe T therefrom; This ill-ustrative type of safety ski binding or attachment harness is of the kind disclosed in; my prior United States Letters. Patent No. i2, 6=l6,7 l4,wherein the boot toe attachment f device A comprisesat-oe p late 25 which is affixcd to the boot toe T, said toe plate having a-projectinglportion' 2'67 indented by a seating notch 27. Holding means is operative with the toe plate ZS, and comprises a latching v lever 28 and .a spring actuated 'thrustmeans 29, with a universal joint 30 connecting said latching lever and thrust means in end to end relation. The latching lever 28 is nal stern, where-by to pivotally support'the brake arm for swinging movement t-owardfsaid binding to an out-of- .serv'ice position overlying the ski inwardly f a side edge thereof and so as to be held therein :by a bootrelea sably attached to the ski, landra torsion spring mounted around said journal stem between said bearing members, one

end of said spring impinging said base plate and the other end thereof being engaged with said jour-nal stem, the tension of said spring being operative to bias the brake arm for swinging movement through an arcuate path oblique to the laxis 0 f the'skifrom said inward out-ofservicepos-itionoutwardly across said skiedgeto an, in-

service position, wherein vit is 'exteriorly" dependent from normally engaged in the seating notch 27 of the toe plate in boot toe holding effect. When this engaged end'of the latchingtlever 28 is subjected to transversely applied or uplifting force sufficient to overpower the counterforce of the thrust means 29, said latching 'lever will swing Sill flit. ciently about the joint 30 so as to bedisplaced from the seating notch 27 of toeplate 25 with boot toe releasing effect, andresultant detachment of the boot'from the ski body 10. a

-When the boot toe T is'rernoved from norma'lattached relation to ski body 10,'the brake arm '17 with its-brake V V blade 20 is released from the'restraint of the boot, and

is thereupon free to swing, under impulsion of torsion spring 211, in clockwise direction as shown in the drawing] from its'out-of-service position to its in-service position;

the latter Position being shown in FIG, 3. I 1

Due to the angular relation of the brake arm 17 to its journal stem 18 and the pivoting support for the latter, when said .br-akearrn 17 with its brake, blade 20 swings the ski when the same is released from the restraint of the boot.

2. A ski stopmeans according to claim 1, wherein the base plate is. provided with a stop. lug" projecting outwa rdly from the edge and adapted torbe engaged by tion thereof.

engaging means adapted to'relea'se the boot toe'and boot the brakef-arm, whereby to determine the in-service posi- A ski stop means according to claim 2, wherein the brake arm terminates at itsfree endin a suitably shaped Ibrake blade. 7 7

boot attachment binding including a yieldable boot toe from'the ski under abnormal stresses and strains, means to stopa skidetached; from the boot -from sliding away movement, said means comprising a ba'se plate afiixed to lthe ski in forwardly 'spa'cedaway relation to the boot toe in clockwise direction as shown in the drawing from outof-ser-vice position tpfin service'position, the-brake arm with the brake blade" will be carriedb-utwardly of and; 'beyond the adjacent side' 'edge of'theski body 10', .and

will move past said ski edge to a' downwardly projected extension beyond and more or lessper-pendic'ular to'the. plane of the bottom ofthe ski; being stopped insuch'dis lug projection '16 position by abutment against the stop of the mounting base plate'll.

"It will be obvious that when the ski is detached from the s'kiers boot, and becomesllooseiand free to slide dis- ,tantly awayfromthe scene of release, the brakearm 17 and its brake blade20, being then in the described iri-. service position, will tend to dig into the snow, thereby V to arrest slidin g'away movementof halt escape thereof To facilitate storing,

tie loops 31 (see FIG S) may be provided}In'usefone loop end ofa tie loop 31 1s engaged a'roundthe :brake;

thel oose ski, and thus r engaging-means of the t bindingrtand in angular relation to' an outer, longitudinal. edge of the ski and divergent to the axis orsaid boot toe' engaging means of the binding, a brake arm having a journal stem angular theretorin correspondence to the angular? disposition, of the base 7 plate, said brake arm terminating at its free end in a flattened suitablyshaped"brake bl-ade, said' base plate having longitudinally spaced apart upstanding perforate bearing amembers to freceive said journal stern, whereby to sup- 7 'port the brake arm for swinging inwardmovement toward 3' the boot toe engaging means of said, binding and to an out-of service positioni-whereinit overlies theski' sothat its brake (blade can-be engaged-beneath and held down by aboottoe attachedto the skiby'the boot toe engaging means of said binding, and a' torsion spring mounted around said journal'stem between said bearing members of the base plate, one end of said spring impinging upon said base plate and the other end thereof being engaged with'saidjournalstem,the tension of said spring being perativefto bias the brake 'anmifor out-swinging movement fromthe aforesaid out-of-s'ervice position outwardly across said ski edge to an in{s'erviee position, wherein it, ,is 'exteriorly; dependent fromtheski when the same is 7 releasedfrom the restraint-of a boot toe and the boot is st i h -framtha i i 5 r 1 5. A' ski stop' means-according' to c1aim.4, ,wherein the 4. In combination with a ski-equipped with a safety 5 base plate is provided With a stoplug projecting outwardly from the .ski edge and adapted to be engaged by the brake arm, whereby to determine the iii-service position thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,616,714 11/52 Culbberley 28011.35 8/61 Van Na-tter 280-11.13

FOREIGN PATENTS Austria. Austria. Canada. Germany.

A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A SKI EQUIPPED WITH A SAFETY BOOT ATTACHMENT BINDING ADAPTED TO RELEASE THE BOOT FROM THE SKI UNDER ABNORMAL STRESSES, AND STRAINS, MEANS TO STOP A SKI DETACHED FROM THE BOOT FROM SLIDING AWAY MOVEMENT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A BASE PLATE AFFIXED TO THE SKI IN SPACED AWAY RELATION TO A PORTION OF SAID BINDING AND IN OBLIQUE ANGULAR RELATION TO A LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE SKI AND DIVERGENT TO THE AXIS OF THE BINDING, A BRAKE ARM HAVING A JOURNAL STEM AT ONE END ANGULAR THERETO, SAID BASE PLATE HAVING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED APART UPSTANDING PERFORATE BEARING MEMBERS TO RECEIVE THE JOURNAL STEM, WHEREBY TO PIVOTALLY SUPPORT THE BRAKE ARM FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT TOWARD SAID BINDING TO AN OUT-OFSERVICE POSITION OVERLYING THE SKI INWARDLY OF A SIDE EDGE THEREOF AND SO AS TO BE HELD THEREIN BY A BOOT RELEASABLY 